Valves and valve actuation – Detachable actuator – Rotary valve
Patent
1994-12-20
1996-09-10
Fox, John C.
Valves and valve actuation
Detachable actuator
Rotary valve
251143, 25131501, F16K 506
Patent
active
055538312
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a ball valve, more particularly to a ball valve of a structure capable of being easily changed to a manual type or an automatic type while using the same valve body.
BACKGROUND ART
Hitherto, ball valves have been generally prepared for a manual type or an automatic type respectively, and separately used in accordance with the purpose thereof.
In the case of a manual type, a ball valve is opened and shut by manually rotating a handle mounted on a spindle borne in a neck portion of a valve body so as to rotate a valve ball, while in the case of an automatic type, the ball valve is opened and shut in the same manner as above by rotating the spindle by an actuator mounted on the upper portion of the valve body.
However, separately preparing the valves of both types results in a higher manufacturing cost, and there is a further problem when a manual type ball valve mounted on a pipe line is converted to an automatic type, in that the ball valve must be wholly replaced. In order to solve such problems, study has been carried out to convert the manual type ball valve to the automatic type while using the valve body of the former, and an example of the above is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 62-69677.
According to the valve disclosed in the above Publication, a mounting body is secured to a manual type (ball) valve body and grips the valve body from the upper and lower sides thereof to form a mounting device, and an actuator is attached to the thus-formed mounting device to convert the valve into an automatic type.
In the valve of the above type, however, there are the following problems: the valve body; mounting device; connected to the valve body; and
Also, another example of a ball valve capable of being changed from a manual type to an automatic type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 62-66072.
In the ball valve disclosed in the above publication, an actuator is secured to a ground portion via a frame, the ground portion separated from a valve body is mounted on the valve body so that the ground portion can be used as a mounting bed for the handle or the actuator. Thus, there are problems in that additional parts such as the ground portion and the frame are necessary, and the structure of the ball valve becomes relatively complicated.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been provided in view of the above problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a ball valve having a structure readily changeable from a manual type to an automatic type or from an automatic type to a manual type while using the same valve body.
After various trials and errors, the present inventors have solved the above problems of the prior art by utilizing the valve body of the manual type ball valve and contriving the neck portion thereof, and reached the present invention.
That is, the present invention is a ball valve which is opened and shut by the operation of a spindle to rotate a valve ball engaged with the spindle, characterized in that a neck portion of a valve body bearing the spindle is provided integrally therewith with a top flange for mounting either of a handle or an actuator for the operation of the spindle.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top flange for mounting either of the handle or the actuator is provided by molding the top flange integrally with the valve body. Also, the shape of the top flange is preferably quadrilateral or circular.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a stand is provided on a bottom of the valve body, and the stand is provided with holes for securing the valve.
Also, threaded fasteners are embedded in the holes for securing the valve.
In this regard, there is no limitation on the internal structures of the ball valve according to the present invention, provided they are normally in practice. Also, there is no limitation to materials of the valve: that is, any of various metals, v
REFERENCES:
patent: 1562195 (1925-11-01), Schenck
patent: 3302912 (1967-02-01), Hurlburt, Jr.
patent: 4284100 (1981-08-01), Scapes et al.
patent: 4432392 (1984-02-01), Paley
patent: 4708158 (1987-11-01), Akamatsu
patent: 4887634 (1989-12-01), Killian
patent: 5240030 (1993-08-01), Wang
Onishi Katsuhiro
Ozaki Yoshito
Asahi Yukizai Kogyo Co. Ltd.
Fox John C.
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